Bug 393441

Summary:	CSV import: description field original text not saved permanently
Product:	[Applications] kmymoney	Reporter:	Martin Steigerwald <Martin>
Component:	importer	Assignee:	KMyMoney Devel Mailing List <kmymoney-devel>
Status:	CONFIRMED ---
Severity:	wishlist	CC:	ostroffjh
Priority:	NOR
Version:	5.0.1
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Debian unstable
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Martin Steigerwald 2018-04-23 20:13:06 UTC

I import debit card CSV files that contain the following six fields:

1. Does not matter
2. Date when booking happens
3. Date of transaction
4. Description (recipient of the payment)
5. Value
6. Original value (for example in case of payment in USD with conversion to EUR)

I import field 4 as recipient/description. But then the CSV Importer does not stuff it into the note field. Thus the recipient gets shortened to the matching payment recipient KMyMoney detects it at, i.e. 

However I can not set field 4 to import as note, cause then the CSV Importer has no description field and does accept clicking on continue.

It is no big issue, as long as auto detection of recipient works fine, but could become a problem in cases it does not. Thus I like to preserve the original text. Thus I´d rather import field 4 into note field and leave description/recipient empty, in order to enter it myself. This would also help KMyMoney not to autocreate recipients like "Balance debit card according invoice from $DATE".

(I rather not add an example file to the bug report itself due to privacy concerns.)

Comment 1 Jack 2018-04-23 21:52:31 UTC

If you set the column for the PAYEE field first, then you can set the same column for inclusion in the MEMO field.  The interface is not as clear as it could be about what happens, but it does work.  You can also include multiple columns in the MEMO field, but they need to be selected for any other purpose first, and then assign them to the MEMO field.  

If this still doesn't work for you, you can create a sample CSV where you have changed all the actual names and values,

Comment 2 Martin Steigerwald 2018-07-22 16:14:47 UTC

(In reply to Jack from comment #1)
> If you set the column for the PAYEE field first, then you can set the same
> column for inclusion in the MEMO field.  The interface is not as clear as it
> could be about what happens, but it does work.  You can also include
> multiple columns in the MEMO field, but they need to be selected for any
> other purpose first, and then assign them to the MEMO field.  

Whoa. This works. It is very well hidden tough.

I think I let this bug open for now, as I think this is an usability issue.

Comment 3 Jack 2018-07-22 16:31:25 UTC

If you provide a suggested improvement to the manual, I'll be glad to consider including it.  You could also suggest a change to the actual behavior or to wording included on the dialog itself, but those are constrained by real-estate and programmer time.  However, I'm switching this to wish-list, so it can server as a reminder.

Comment 4 Martin Steigerwald 2018-07-22 17:04:37 UTC

(In reply to Jack from comment #3)
> If you provide a suggested improvement to the manual, I'll be glad to
> consider including it.  You could also suggest a change to the actual
> wording included on the dialog itself, but those are constrained by real-estate 
> and programmer time. […]

I reviewed the documentation and I think it is good. I did not know the CSV importer was documented (until I found a bug report about this by accident today).

I think the GUI should make it obvious that you can add mutiple fields to memo. Usually ways would be to have a list were the user can select mutiple items via shift or ctrl + mouse click or to have a check mark for each field and the user can select mutiple ones. Also I´d probably allow to add any field there, no matter whether it is used elsewhere or not, in any order.